Hand In Hand
by RunningWords
Summary: Shino X Ino- "Will these simple encounters turn into something more?" - There's not many ShIno stories, I suggest you just read a little to see if your intrested
1. Chapter 1

Story starts when the "Invasion of Konoha Arc" begins. I will be doing a lot of 'time skipping' I hope you can follow. Sorry, I didn't watch all the fillers so I cant be exact with my time line.

~*= Invasion of Konoha =*~

Ino's POV

"_What is this? What is happening." _Ino felt herself in a dream like state. Not to the point where she felt she was asleep, yet she knew she was not awake. There was darkness but she kept hearing noises, it sounded as though it was coming from inside her own mind.

"_What…" _still it was black, the noises continued. It was strangely familiar. _"The sound of…" _she wondered. 'Clank' she heard. _"I know this sound." _she told herself forcefully. _"Remember!" _

Her blue eyes flew open and she gasped for air, throwing her head back. 'Clank' she quickly glanced at her surroundings. To her left she saw Choji seemingly asleep with his his face in his lap. She quickly looked to her left. _"Sakura? - She's gone?" _all around her most everyone was sleeping. _"What's going on?" _

"Ino!" came a slightly familiar voice.

'Clank' She turned her head quickly. There she saw a Jounin with silver hair. "Kakashi-Sensei!" Ino said. "What's going on!" She asked, more sounds of the battle going on around her. She saw smoke in the air. Something was terribly wrong.

"Stay down and take cover till its over." He ordered.

She did as she was told, but she had a really bad feeling about this. She hadn't seen Shikamaru or Sakura. _"and they were just here." _she said to herself. More sounds of the fights going on around her. Made her feel venerable, even more so since she didn't know what was going on.

~*= Slight Time Skip =*~

Ino found herself once again working in her fathers flower shop. She didn't mind this change of phase considering the amount of madness that had been going on in the village in the past few months. It was early in the morning and she didn't expect many customers until 10 or later. _"Who wakes up at 8am to pick up flowers." _just as she was thinking the bells on the door rung, telling her that someone had arrived inside the shop.

"Welcome!" She said with a smile. I took her a moment to glance over the male standing before her. Bushy brown hair, tall and light skin, sunglasses covering his eyes. "Shino." Ino said aloud to herself. When he didn't reply she felt a little uncomfterable. "Hey, didn't you defeat that creepy puppet master - the guy who forfeited the match in the chuunin exams?"

"Kankuro." he said.

"Ah yes, I wish I could of done something.." she replied, "Didn't you get seriously injured but your father found you in time?" she said almost asking herself. Shino's body tensed up slightly as the thought. "Well at any rate you helped Sasuke, and I admire that."

"Poisoned, I was not injured, but that is why I am here." he said. "I was told you would be able to help me make a list of the most poisonous plants."

"Of course." she said happily. "You would think, a Aburmae would have a bit more knowledge of flowers and plants- Considering your passion for bugs."

Shino shifted his weight but did not reply. Ino began to make a list and detailed What parts of the plant were poisonous. Aside from Hinata and Kurenai. This was the first time he had a on going conversation with a women, onside of missions, and family.

Even though she was doing the most talking, and he was only listening. She really seemed to enjoy flowers, almost as much as he enjoyed collecting rare bugs. If in this moment he could describe Ino in one word. "_passionate." _he thought.

Ino completed her list and handed it to Shino. Before he could say anything, "Can I ask you something." she said, not waiting for his reply. She pulled the ribbing holding up her bun. Her hair fell she ran her fingers though it before saying. "This length, isn't so bad. Is it?"

Shino knew of Ino's personality, kind, confident and outspoken. Only in this moment she seemed to seek approval. A venerable and soft side of Ino he had yet to see. It came to his mind that he should just say what she wanted to hear. Instead these words slipped from his mouth. "Hair can grow back."

~*= Time Skip =*~

Pre-Shippuden Filler - Referenced

Ino found herself thinking about her most recently completed mission In the Land of the Sea. Although perhaps she didn't act to thrilled at the time. She rather liked going on a mission with out her normal comrades. This was not to say, she would want to do it as a permanent thing. _"Anko is weird, Shino is weird, Naruto is- Naruto's just plain annoying!" _she laughed to herself.

She didn't want to admit it, but maybe, just maybe. She enjoyed learning more about the strange bug user. She thought back, back to when Yoroi was about to attack her. Then, there he was like a night in shinning armor. _"Shino.."_

~*= Time Skip =*~

Shippuden: Hidan and Kakuzu Arc

Ino stood outside the flower shop, with the hose on, watering some flowers which were planted there to attract customers. She stood with her back to the street, still like a statue. _"Asuma.." _it was hard for her to think, to think of what life would be like without her Sensei. Both Akatsuki members had been defeated. _"Still, it doesn't make me feel that much better.." _

The water began to run onto the pavement. "Here." she heard a voice say from behind her, and then a hand reached gently taking the hose away from hers.

"Thank you." she whispered as her voice saddened. "Thank you…" tears started down her cheeks.

Shino continued to water the plants outside the shop, once his mission was complete he turned off the water. He felt it best to pretend he had no seen or heard her cry. He found himself as her side, unsure of what to do or say.

She wiped away her tears and turned to him with a smile. "It's a beautiful day, out isn't it." again not a question. Shino stayed silent, and just nodded in agreement.

~*= Time Skip =*~

Three-Tails Arc

"There you are" came her voice. "You knew I was coming, so. Mind if I talk for a while." she took a seat down in the grass. "Talking to my teammates seems more logical, but somehow I feel, silly wanting to say these things to them. You always listen so, I asked Hinata, where I might find you." she smiled, "And here I am."

Shino glanced over his shoulder and gave a nod, in agreement. He had no issues with the present company. He just hoped she wouldn't cry. When she cries it makes him feel soft inside. Such feelings were not meant for him. At least that's what he told himself.

She began with a sigh. "When we were trying to steal the Three-Tails." she said mentioning a mission she attended with Shino. "It was hard to keep control." she fought back any feelings to cry. "I was knocked out twice.. I'm glad we had such a large support group."

Slight anger came into her voice as she spoke again. "Sakura seems to be a natural with everything she does. We are friends and rivals and yet something she seems to beat me at everything." she paused only for a moment. "Well almost everything, I think I have won her in the beauty department.

Now Shino turned to face her. With his hands in his pockets. She waited to see if he was going to speak but he did not so she continued.

"Do you think, I spend so much time, worrying about my looks, it has effected my progress as a ninja?" this time she was really looking for an answer.

"I think." he said. "Your very well rounded. As a ninja, as a women." She looked slightly shocked. He continued "You have no need to specialize in just one area over others." she needed and example he was sure. "Like me, I rely on my Kikaichu. What would happen if I was with out them?"

"With out your greatest strength.." she said in a whisper. She changed the subject. "Hey, do you remember when you came asking about the poisonous plants." she only needed to remind him. "Want to go looking for some?"

Writers Block


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe A temp chaper-might change:

Her long blonde hair was blowing wildly in the breeze. In this moment, she didn't mind because she was in a truly beautiful place. Knee high in the middle of a field of wildflowers. Bending in the wind but not breaking. _"Flowers are really wonderful." _

She glanced over her shoulder to the figure standing behind her. "I'm glad we finally got time off missions." she kneeled down to a flower, smelling its aroma. "It's been a while since we talked about doing this."

"If you had asked someone else, it could have been done sooner." Shino replied. He pulled his right hand from his pocket bringing it up to his face. One lone beetle came and landed on his hand.

Ino pushed herself up and took a few steps toward him. "Did you find something?" she asked. Looking intently at the bug on his hand. He pointed to the south, and bug beetle flew off his hand in the same direction. "Let's get going then."

After a few hours of travel they found themselves in a dense forest. There was hardly any sign of life living in the area. Ino hated the thought of getting ambushed here. There would be no escape unless someone you could whip out half the forest before the attack launched. There was no sound of birds or any other noise for that matter.

"Are you sure this is right?" she asked.

"Would we be here, if I wasn't sure." Shino replied.

After a few more minutes of walking Ino began to hear the sounds of a stream. The room between the trees became wider until they came to a small clearing. There like she had hear was running water. "Lets follow this up stream." she said.

They walked atop the water in silence for quite a while. Until Ino broke the silence. "I can hear it!" she said suddenly. Her phase quickened, and he followed close behind her. "There is it." she said, as they walked up to a large waterfall.

"So who's going in.." she said looking back at Shino. A smile crossed her face, "I'm only kidding, I'll go. I know what to look for." she looked at the waterfall. _"Just behind that waterfall" _she told herself.

They walked to the bank and Ino took off her sandals and mesh from her arms and legs. She lifted her skirt to revel more of her right leg, unhooking her Shuriken holster. This made Shino feel slightly uncomfortable. She reached to unbutton her skirt. Shino grabbed her arm suddenly.

"Do you have to do that." he said.

A slight blush went across her face. "I have on a swim suit… underneath. " he let go of her arm and turned away. _"Why, did he have to make a big deal out of it." _she began to feel a little uncomfortable herself. _"but if I stop now, it will be even more awkward." _she set her skirt and top aside. "I'll be going in now."

He took a slight glance over his shoulder, with a nod. He was glad to see even though her swimsuit was a bikini, and thus by default reveling. That it was modest. Navy blue in color. No lace or thing straps. He quickly turned away feeling odd about his observation and the details which he had seen from just a small glance.

Some time passed before Ino reappeared from behind the waterfall. In her hand an odd looking plant. "I don't think I ever would of found this place, if you didn't come." Shino did not turn to face her. Yet somehow he was sure she had found what she was looking for.

"Its really a pain to find you know, since it only grows in dark, wet and cold places."


End file.
